Transfer car



Feb. 24, y194,2. w. WHALEY TRANSFER CAR Filed June 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1y llllllll llllll Feb. 24, 1942.

w. wHALl-:Y 2,274,314

TRANSFER CAR Filed June 12, 1959` 2 sheets-sheet 2l Patented Feb. 24, 1942 UNITED v STATES PATE-Nr t OFFICE TRANSFER'CAR William Whaley, Knoxville, Tenn. lapplic-:ation June 12, 1939, Serial No. 278,756 s claims. y(ci. 214-83) `This invention relates to an Aimprovement in transfer cars for use in connection with loading machines to receive coal or otherl material and to transfer the same to a remote discharge point, ork to direct the coal or other lading from'the loading machine into mine cars ata stationary point. I

This application is a continuationin part of my prior application on transfer cars, Seri-al No. 230,670, led September 19, 1938.

In my prior application, a transfer `car was provided containing a Ahopper with ak conveyor in the `bottom thereof terminating in an inclined section in one end ofthe car having a discharge section connected therewith andcapablek ofI raising Iand lowering to different parallel positions for directing the coal or otherlading into a mine or other conveyor car.

Under some circumstances, particularly where the hopper of the transfer -caris full, there is a y tendency for'some overflow of coal from the sides ofthe conveyor discharge section, `or fromv the point where the conveyor leaves thebody of the car to direct the lading rearwardly therefrom. Also, when the transfer car is full-of coal, under some circumstances there is a tendency for the entire mass of coal to move simultaneously when The object of this invention is to overcome this tendency and to insure a uniform fow: of material through a restricted conveyor area, which is accomplished in this embodiment of this invention, by placing auxiliary plates in the bottom of the hopper, restricting the area of the conveyor exposed for part of theI horizontal length of the hopper bottom. Thisprovides for feeding ythe material onto the rear section of the conveyor in such a way as to lill this section completely and insure uniform discharge without spillage. A l

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Fig. l is a top plan view of this improved transfer car including' this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the car body substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, parts being omitted for clearness; and 4 ylig. 4 is a similar view substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted.

f This transfer car, in `the formkillustrated, is constructed with longitudinal members orside sills designated generally `bythe ynumeral I, and

through which car axles 2 extend, having track wheels 3 `fixed thereon adapted to travel on track rails 4, which may be the same rails on which the loading m-achine or mine cars travel. The transfer car is self-propelled, being driven by an electriclmotor 5, as illustrated, which operates sprocket gearingluto drive :a counter-shaft 1, and the counter-shaft I operates through sprocket gearingli to drive one of the axles 2, the other axle being driven therefrom by sprocket gearing 9. This driving mechanism is conventional and any suitable means may be used as' desired for drivingv the transfer car or transporting it from place to place. The side sills I carry bumpers I0 at opposite ends thereof.

The body of the car is generally of hopperl shape and yis supported upon the side sills I, as shown lmore clearly in Figs. 3 .and 4. the side sills I has an angle bar II mounted on the top flange thereof, to which it is securedby welding, rivets, or otherwise and extending throughout a portion of the length of lthe side sills. Side walls I2 extend substantially lengthwise of vthe car with s-tiffening rim angle braces I3 at [their'upper edges and sloping lower sections I4 th'atextend downwardly to the upper edges of the angle bars II in the middle and forward portionsv of the car, as shown in Fig.,L

3 but inthe inclined portion thereof, the sloping sidesv I4 extend substantially to the upper edges of supporting plates, I5, extending upwardly from the side sills I, as shown in Fig. 4. The side walls `are suitably braced at intervals by angular brace plates I6. At the forward end of the car the'side walls I2 are connected together by an end wall I'I, having a sloping lower portion I8.-

At the rear portion of the car, the side plates l5 have secured thereto inclined plates I9 (Figs 2 and 4), extending along the under edges of the inclined -portions of the sloping sides I 4 vof the rcar body, and. at the rearmost end of the plate I9 onleach side of the car is a bracket plate 20 secured thereto. Pivotally connected at 2| with each bracket plate 20 is one end of a lower link 22, while a second link 23 has one end pivotally connected at v24 with the bracket plate 2i). The opposite ends of each .pair of links 22, 23, are pivotally connected respectively at 25 and 26, with a bracket plate 21 secured at each side of a conveyor trough 28.

An endless conveyor is designated generally by the Anumeral 29 and extends from one end of the transfer car to the opposite end thereof, being preferably of the type designated as a flight Each of conveyor comprising a pair of chains 30 with night bars 3| extending from side to side therebetween for raking the material over a trough plate 32 extending between the side sills l in the main portion of the car, being supported upon angle bars 33 (Figs. 3 and 4), which are secured to said side sills and to the side plates of the inclined portion of the conveyor structure. Each of the chains 30 has rollers 34 for guiding the same in trackways 35 at the upper run of the conveyor and upon tracks 36 for the lower run of the conveyor. The trackways 35 have tracks 36 therein, on which the rollers operate beneath angle plates 65 secured to the inner faces of the angle bars Il in the forward portion of the car, and beneath angle bars B6 of the inclined portions of the conveyor. Y

The conveyor 23 has its chains 3U passingr over sprocket wheels on a shaft 31 at the rearmost end of the. car (Fig. 2) and over sprock. ets on a shaft 38Y at the forward end of the car, thelatter shaft being shown as driven throughreduction gearing designated generally by 'the numeral 39 from an electric motor`-40 under the control of the operator. this conveyor may be driven from the by `a driving connection therewith. The controller Ifor the motor 40 of the conveyor structure is designated generally by the numeral 4| and is mounted beside la platform 42 where an operator may be stationed for controlling the movements of the car. A similar controller 43 is 'mounted on the platform for controlling the electric motor L that operates the carv forward and backward. A take up reel 44 may be provided on the car for winding of the electric cable thereon. The platform 42 is provided also with a seatY 45 for theoperator, if desired.

The discharge end portion of the conveyor structure is somewhat similar to that set forth in my prior patent on Conveyor for loading machines, No 1,839,625, granted January 5, 1932, inasmuch as there is a discharge section of the conveyor that is maintained substantially in horizontal position by being supported upon parallel links', such as the links 22 and 23, pivotally connected respectively with the brackets and 21 at opposite ends thereof, so that joint tilting movements of the links maintains them in parallel relation and moves the discharge section of the conveyor, having the conveyor trough 28, vertically to different parallel positions. To accomplish this raising and lowering movement of the discharge end portion of the conveyor, a bar 43 is connected between the links 22 and is pivotally connected intermediate its ends with a hydraulic power device 48 for raising the inclined section of the conveyor and for allowing the same to be lowered.

At opposite sides of the inclined tiltable section of the conveyor 29 are secured side plates 52, as shown in Fig. 2, being supported upon the linksl22, while corresponding side plates 53 are 'securedl to and extend along opposite sides of the trough 2B, in order to increase the height of the`trough through which the coal or other material is conveyed by the conveyor.

The sloping bottom of the hopper car body is so designed as to reduce the effective width of the conveyor for a part of its horizontal length, to insure uniform flow over the discharge end of lthe conveyor and to avoid spillage where the width and height of the hopper are reduced motor 5 If desired,

leading toward the discharge of the conveyor therefrom.

This is accomplished by extending the angle plates inwardly and appreciably over the lateral edges of the upper run of the conveyor, and mounting auxiliary plates 61 on the side wing positions i4 of the lading bottoms, which auxiliary plates 61 are secured to the sloping portions I4 as by rivets 68 at the outer edges thereof, from which they extend inward to the inner edges of the angle plates 65, to which they are joined at 69, thereby directing the coal toward the center of the bottom conveyor section at the forward end portion of the oar, and materially reducing the effective width of the conveyor at the forward portion of its horizontal length to insure uniform ow over the discharge end of the conveyor, and to avoid spillage where the cross-section of the car hopper is reduced in width and height relative to the cross-section of the discharge part of the conveyor. This reduction in width will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 3, the full width of opening being shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the transfer ca r will be obvious from the foregoing description. The transfer car is designed to operate behind the loading machine and to be filled directly therefrom, for which purpose the front wall I1 and forward portions of the side walls I2 `are somewhat lower than the major portions of the side walls.

While the transfer car is in the room being loaded or is moving to or from the point of loading, the discharge end portion of the conveyor 29 is in its lowered position to facilitate travel in low head-room. After being loaded, the transfer car is caused to travel out of the entry at the room neck or other discharge point, being operated by its own powerY from the electric motor 5, and when it reaches this point, the

hydraulic motor or power device 48 is actuated to lift the discharge end of the conveyor sufciently high sov as to clear the top of a mine car and project therever and over the mine car track. Then the operator operates the conveyor whereby the lading is moved outward over the trough plate 32 and discharged at the rear end of the car directly into the mine car` The flight conveyor continues operating until all of the lading has been discharged from the transfer car or until the mine car is filled. Normally the capacity of the transfer car is about equal to two mine cars. After Vthe transfer car is emptied, it is backed off from the mine car, the discharge end portion of its conveyor lowered, and then it is Vreturned* to the loading machine for refilling, such movements being self propelled and under the control of the operator.

In this way, the transfer car may be utilized for conveying the coal or other lading from the loading machine to a train of mine cars at the entry. The pivoted construction of the discharge end portion of the conveyor conserves head room in the mine while maintaining the discharge end always in a horizontal position when either raised or lowered.

While the foregoing describes the use of this car as a transfer car; under some conditions (such as ample head room) it may be found more valuable as a reservoir car used just back of the loading machine to receive material from the loading machine and to discharge same at a very rapid rate to each mine car as it is placed under the rear end of the transfer car conveyor.

Other uses of this unit will suggest itself to experienced mine operators.

It will be evident that this transfer car embodying this invention, may be mounted for ground operation on caterpillar or endless tread supports, or on resilient tire wheels, or other ground engaging wheels, and is not limited to operation on a track or on flange wheels. y

The reference in the claims to iiow control means or flow control plates is intended to designate such means or plates as will reduce the effective Width of the conveyor exposed to the lading in the hopper for a part of its length, whereby the operation of the conveyor will move iirst the portion of the lading toward the discharge end and thereafter the remaining portion in the hopper, without a tendency for all of the lading to be moved upon the initial operation of the conveyor.

I claim:

l. In a transfer car, the combination of a frame having side sills, supporting wheels therefor, a car body mounted on the side sills and including side walls and one end wall with inclined lower portions sloping toward the center of the car, and an endless conveyor having a run underlying said sloping wall portions and extending throughout the major portion of the length of the car body and terminating in an inclined conveyor section at the end of the car body opposite the end wall and extending upwardly to a height approximately equal to the height of the side walls, and flow control means in the hopper body extending lengthwise thereof adjacent the inclined side Wall portions and overlapping the conveyor.

2. In a transfer car, the combination of a supporting frame having side sills, supporting wheels therefor, a car body supported on the frame and having side walls and one end wall, said side Walls having inclined lower portions extending inwardly approximately to the upright planes of the inner faces of the side sills, a trackway extending lengthwise of thek car at the inner faces of the side sills, an endless conveyor having an upper run extending through said walls and an end wall, said side walls having inclined lower portions for directing material toward the center of the car, a conveyor structure including a section extending approximately throughout the length of the car body underlying the inclined wall portions and forming thek ybottom of the car, and ow control plates secured upon the inclined wall portions and overlying the edge portions of the conveyo-r section.

4. In a transfer car, a car body having side walls and an end wall, said side walls having inclined lower portions for directing material toward the center of the car, a conveyor structure including a section extending approximately throughout the length of the car body underlying the inclined wall portions and forming the bottom of the car, and flow control plates secured upon the inclined wall portions and extending inwardly from points adjacent the outer edges thereof in lateral overlying relation with the side portions of the conveyor section to direct the lading into the midportion of the conveyor section.

5. In a transfer car, a car body having side walls and an end wall, said side walls having inclined lower portions for directing material toward the center of the car, a conveyor structure including -a section extending approximately throughout the length of the car body underlying the inclined wall portions and forming the bottom of the car, and flow control plates secured upon the inclined wall portions and extending inwardly therefrom in `lateral overlying relation with the side portions of the conveyor section to direct the lading into the midportion of the conveyor section, said flow control plates extending from the forward end of the conveyor section lengthwise of the car toward the opposite end and terminating at a point spaced an appreciable distance from the last-mentioned end.

6. In a transfer car, the combination of a car body having side walls and one end wall, said walls having inclined lower portions for directing material toward the center of the car, an endless conveyor structure including a section extending approximately throughout the length of the car body 'underlying the inclined wall portions and forming the bottom of the car, means directing a portion of said bottom section upwardly in an inclined direction at the end of the car opposite the end wall to a height approximately corresponding with the height of the side walls whereby said inclined portion forms an end of the car, and ow control plates secured upon the inclined wall portions and extending inwardly therefrom in overlying relation with the side portions of the bottom conveyor section to direct the lading into the midportion thereof, said flow control plates extending from a point adjacent one end of the car toward the opposite end thereof and terminating approximately at the inclined portion of the conveyor.

WILLIAM WHALEY. 

